South Middle School's Coach
Splichal and Odyssey of the Mind team.

OUR PROBLEM SOLVERS ARE AMONG THE BEST ON EARTH

Five South Middle School students (pictured) and six Roosevelt School fifth graders recently won a statewide competition that will send them to a worldwide competition at the University of Maryland. Led by coach and English teacher Jason Splichal, the Odyssey of the Mind team from South defeated all other eighth grade students in the state at creative problem-solving challenges sponsored by NASA that require an original eight-minute performance-based solution. Calvin Henderson, Leah Nelson, Maggie Phillips, Ellie Phillips, and Brad Rutter won on March 19 at Madison Area Technical College, and now they are securing funds for the 2011 World Finals, where they look forward to competing against the best teams from the United States and 25 other countries. The same can be said for Madeline and Hannah Crowell, Jenna Luginbill, Sean Miller, Zaria Whitacre, and Kase Kleinschmidt, the Roosevelt team coached by Sara Passint.

BIG TIME VOTES ON APRIL 5

I know every April and November you’re inundated with media organizations yelling at you to go out and do your civic duty by voting. So what’s one more, Sally Sob Story? Seriously. Depending on where you are in the Valley, on April 5 you’ll likely be voting on Supreme Court, appellate court, and school board members. But don’t forget about the referendum on Eau Claire city council terms. And, of course, the school district referendum to give them money for building upgrades. Check out a sample of your own personal ballot at vpa.wi.gov, as well as where you need to go and all that jazz. Now get out there and vote.

STOUT REPEATS AS RUBE GOLDBERG CHAMPIONS

A handful of UW-Stout students watered a plant on March 26. Normally not a newsworthy event, except this took place at Purdue University, required more than 20 steps, and resulted in a repeat title as National Rube Goldberg Machine Contest winners. Their spooky Louisiana swamp mansion titled “The Westing Estate” topped monster schools Penn State and University of Texas, and involved intricately designed skeletons doing things like painting, giving a eulogy, proposing, and watering a Venus fly trap. The contest involves a simple task that must be done in several elaborate steps. Think the breakfast scene in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.

DISCUSSION: THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS IN THE WI BUDGET

Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal includes a cutting the Wisconsin Arts Board’s state funding by 73 percent and essentially making it a mere branch in the Department of Tourism, a move that many are predicting as devastating. One of them is Anne Katz, executive director of Arts Wisconsin, who will speak to that very issue at the Regional Arts Center on April 12. Advocating the importance of art in education and economic development, Katz believes cutting the funding threatens standing of creativity and progressive thinking in Wisconsin. Anne will be discussing funding, education, economy, and the important role the arts plays for Wisconsin. The discussion will be held at noon. Contact Ben Richgruber, 832-2787, for more information.